Commitment
by Ms. Exorcist
Summary: Years after he succeeds the throne, an older Larsa faces an arranged marriage by the Senate. Before he is forced to submit to royal duty, he throws down all laws to pursue the love he left behind. [LarsaXPenelo]
1. The Splendid Plan

**A/N: **Here I am with my first story after a long hiatus from I had a previous account then, but I'm not using it any more. I'm a big fan of Larsa, and I thought, if i were to write a story with romance and Larsa in it, it would be right to make Larsa at least a little older, and of course, legal. I'm also going to make Penelo a little younger, but only a _little_. So here you are, the product of my mind, and my first LarsaXPenelo story. The rating might change sometime in the future, it depends. Anyway, read and review! Thanks!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own FFXII or any of its characters, _duh_.

Commitment

**Chapter One: The Splendid Plan**

There were matters that were better off untouched.

And then there were matters that were better off discussed.

And those matters were the primary concern of a young lord named Larsa Ferrinas Solidor.

Or Lamont, as he'd introduce himself to those who didn't know him. He was undecipherable, unpredictable at times, and scarily mature for his age. Which was then about twelve. Other twelve-year-olds who dwelt in the streets of, example, Rabanastre, lived only to hack at the waterway-lurking dire rats for the fun of it. Or for some, for food. It was a disturbingly sad world.

Lord Larsa wanted to change that.

Peace talks, campaigns for the ending of the Archadian conquest, peaceful resolutions, everything. Larsa had a hand in almost all these matters. Most could tell that the Emperor Gramis favoured him, even more so than his elder brother Vayne, who seemed to despise the senate with a passion. Thus the wizened old men of the senate turned their eye upon the young lord Larsa, causing his guardians, Gabranth and Drace, to suspect that the senate planned to use him as a puppet once he took the throne.

But Larsa wasn't a puppet.

And there was another problem. A problem which was Larsa's power-obsessed brother Vayne. He was overly concerned about being the next Dynast-King, thus neglecting important matters of state. Following this, the Emperor Gramis was mysteriously assassinated, and Vayne had the senate arrested for treason, passing all powers of judgement over the Empire to himself. Of course, Larsa had tried to see the positive side in all of this, considering that Vayne was still his sibling. But the loss of his dear father had impacted him in ways unseen on the outside. He did not cry, no. But they all could see the morbid blankness his features took when Al-Cid took the liberty to casually announce 'The Emperor Gramis is no more. His life was taken." All Larsa could say at that point was, "Father..."

That fateful day at Mt. Bur-Omisace. It was a tragedy for House Solidor.

But for Vayne, it seemed to others that this day gave him a vital opportunity.

It was also the same day that Vayne had ordered Gabranth to execute Drace.

And thus began this complicated web of treachery, sorely labelled as Archadian politics.

This was when the young Lord Larsa realised the true workings of the world around him. Making the right decision, he chose to be against his brother, and eventually watched as Vayne died 'honourably' in battle, a lie indeed. However, Larsa did have to make it sound as though his brother was not at fault. This was to prevent further turmoil in an already war-torn world. But that was when everything stopped. Halted. And just like that, the war was over. Gabranth had entrusted Basch as Larsa's guardian before he died, and to Larsa's inner joy, peace was thus achieved.

In the weeks following, Larsa received an invitation to Ashe's coronation. The Princess who was now to be Queen. She, obviously, was not the only one to be upped a few positions higher. Larsa, previously just the twelve-year-old brother of Vayne, was now officially Archadia's young Emperor. It was a glorious event, yes. But he had restored the senate and everything to its proper position, and had travelled by airship to watch Ashe become the Queen of Dalmasca. Following that, he returned to Archades to further his rule.

That was seven years ago.

The now nineteen-year-old Emperor of a stable economy was, fairly, bored.

Basch was out on an errand of his own, visiting Dalmasca.

At least now, since the years had passed, he was now of a rather significant height, taller than most his age. Although the transition from boy to a young adult had been a rather easy one, there were those who could detect the subtle changes. But they all said these made him seem all the more attractive to the women of the Archadian court. These comments were detestable. _Detestable_.

It was a sleepy morning, and there was very little an Emperor could do on sleepy mornings when there were no problems to be addressed, no complaints from his subjects, nothing at all. Seated on his ornate throne where his father once sat, he started to reminisce about the old days. How every minute, there was a threat. How every second there were lives lost somewhere in Ivalice. How the late Judge Bergan had so mercilessly massacred the Kiltias on Mt. Bur-Omisace, including the Gran Kiltias Anastasis.

"Why hasn't the young Emperor married?"

It was a question that was shot at him so many times during the past years. Of course, he was aware that the Princess, now Queen Ashelia B'Nargin of Dalmasca had married young, and how, by a cruel twist of fate, her husband Rasler of Nabradia was taken from her during the fall of Nalbina Fortress. However, he wasn't sure he could deal with the aspect of marriage.

Marriage. A beneficial thing? Perhaps.

But maybe he would get married. Yes, but not very soon, he reckoned. Now he was trying to find a way to bring back the memories from his past. He wanted to dine with those he once knew, together. And together they would speak of the newer workings of Ivalice.

He was also often asked from where he received his seemingly neverending supply of hi-potions. But these sort of questions he would decline to answer. It simply wasn't necessary.

A layer of dust rose from the carpets of the throne room, the tiny grey specks illuminated faintly by the soothing rays of morning sunlight seeping in through the large glass windows. Larsa felt his eyes start to close, but then convinced himself that he would have to stay awake. He wouldn't want a subject to come bursting in and finding him fast asleep, would he? Definitely not. Putting on the sternest face he could muster, he stared daggers at the double door that faced the throne. Why he was doing this, he wasn't really sure. Concentrating on something sometimes helped.

Then it hit him.

A brilliant idea, splendid in all its worth. A tad unlikely, but possible.

A reunion feast. Why hadn't he thought of it sooner? It was a great way to bring together all the friends, and perhaps some foes of his past, to discuss the events of the old days, the seven years past that had fleetingly flown by as fast as a Zu at the Ozmone Plains. In fact, he now wasn't really sure if there were still Zu's at the Ozmone Plains, considering they had become a favourite target of avion hunters.

Or perhaps it was just revenge for the unfortunate people who had so unluckily died due to a Zu attack.

Brushing thoughts about creatures of the Ozmone away from his mind, Larsa immediately got up from his throne and exited to the left into his cloister of private chambers, where he called forth some messengers. Handing them a large roll of parchment, he said, "Go, deliver messages to these people, wherever you may find them. Tell them I will be hosting a feast the next week at evening." With that, the messengers left on their duty, and Larsa returned to his throne. Still no subjects and their complaints. Good.

Feeling satisfied with himself, Larsa gave a faint smile to nobody in particular. Of course, he hadn't forgotten to invite Vaan and company, wherever they were, whether still killing dire rats or sailing through the skies. He had gotten word that Vaan was a sky pirate now. Larsa didn't particularly approve of sky pirates, but as long as they didn't do anything that was against his values, he would not bother himself with such matters.

It was at this time that Larsa realised he was late for a meeting with the senate.

Their strict on-time policy was something the young Emperor could never get used to. No matter, he hurried to the meeting hall immediately. And there they were, seated in a circle. A large throne lay empty, waiting for him. Sitting down gingerly, Larsa cleared his throat. "Apologies for my lateness, I was planning a reunion feast. We may begin now." The bearded faces swathed in hoods nodded. The first senator took the liberty to speak, gesturing with a withered hand in the air.

"A reunion feast? That sounds...intriguing."

The senator said slowly, dragging the word 'intriguing' such that it sounded sarcastic for a moment. He gave a dry cough, and shot a disgruntled look at another senator, who continued what the first was about to say.

"Yes, Emperor Larsa. It seems that you are old enough now...to be wed."

Larsa felt a horrible sinking feeling somewhere in the reaches of his stomach, but tried his best to ignore it. There was that mention again. That horrible, _horrible_ mention of marriage. He couldn't just pick a random girl from noble Archadian blood and marry her in some grand, fancy ceremony. Despite it all, yes. Larsa Ferrinas Solidor believed in something called love.

Love. Yes, love. How cliched and boring and utterly stupid. But it did exist. He had seen it happening a great many times, when walking in the midst of his subjects, or travelling across Ivalice. Or even when he saw couples give each other an adoring peck on the cheek. When he was younger, even then before he had met Vaan, he felt a ping of disgust every time he saw these public displays of affection. Now, he felt a different kind of ping. Was it jealousy? Longing? He couldn't identify it. Such was the product of years of being a slave to quills, ink and parchment. His mortification must have shown clearly on his face, as a third senator spoke dryly, his voice cutting into Larsa's endless stream of thoughts.

"Yes, yes. You do not know the ways of marriage, young Emperor. Which is why we, the senate, encourage you to take this reunion feast of yours, and use the opportunity to invite some fine ladies of the court, and women from abroad. Marriage will greatly boost your power."

Mumbling something incoherently under his breath, Larsa gave a loud sigh and lowered his head, tacking his gaze to the polished wood on which he rested his elbows. "Fine. I will invite some _others_ to the reunion feast. It will be up to you all, then."

"The senate will do its best." The hooded men said slyly as Larsa got up stiffly from the throne and exited.

"Entirely _ruined_. This was supposed to be a _reunion_ feast, not some sort of..._matchmaking_ party."

Larsa muttered under his breath as he returned to his main throne.

Sighing for the hundredth time that day, memories glided above his gilded crown. Memories of the time he was out hunting with Vaan, Ashe, Balthier, Fran, Basch...all of them. Royalty hadn't mattered then. And then there was one more. She had left the most impression in his mind. He had written her name first on the list of people he would invite. He definitely wanted her to come. Picking up a feathered quill lying on a table next to him, he picked it up and absentmindedly wrote an invisible name on the throne's armrest.

_Penelo._

Perhaps the reunion feast would not be that spoiled after all. There was still some good in it.

And then Emperor Larsa Ferrinas Solidor was sated.


	2. Dinner and Dance

**A/N: **Thank you for your reviews, dear reviewers (: I love you muchlies. Anyway, here's Chapter Two! I'm on a roll here, and I appreciate your support as the story continues! I've updated the summary to fit the main storyline, and I might write some other oneshots in between updating this story, so do look out for them too, all right? Great! Anyway, enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter Two: Dinner and Dance**

Larsa Ferrinas Solidor sighed worriedly. This was it. The night of the reunion feast. However, the senate had taken the pleasure to invite a large number of women, and to them, this was a sort of 'fairytale ball' in which they could be chosen to marry the Prince. But Larsa was no Prince. He was an Emperor, which simply made the opportunity to the females even better. To Larsa, it was going to be a very nervous evening. But he was sure the appearance of his old friends would calm him, even if it was only slightly.

Straightening himself up, he tried to quell the sick feeling that was raging inside him. Finally, he managed to overcome it and walked into the dining hall to observe the preparations. Servants scurried about, setting the ornate table of gold and mahogany with polished silverware, such that the light from the chandelier above glinted off the surface of the spoons and forks, causing them to glitter as if they were carved from diamonds. Weaved cloths were placed in front of each high-backed chair, on which a plate was set.

The walls of the hall were in the traditional Archadian style. Slightly modern, with pots of large green plants placed at each adjacent corner. Stone and gold made up the patterns on the inner walls, and a richly embroidered carpet lay underneath the tables. Larsa couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. Everything was going as planned.

As the time for the guests' arrival drew near, Larsa looked out of the paned window to the peaceful, darkening sky of evening. Lines of orange, yellow and a fleck of pink made up the horizon, illuminating the thick clouds with an almost magical conflagration of colour. The court musicians took their places on a raised platform in a corner of the dining hall.

"My Lord, you must return to the head of the table and await your guests."

A servant spoke hurriedly, trying to dust a speck of dirt off the Emperor's right sleeve. Larsa cleared his throat and moved as calmly as he could over to the larger chair at the head of the rectangular table. He was dressed in his finest tonight, as fine as the Emperor's garments could get. Gold overlapped silver, with a brooch and chain of the Archadian symbol around his neck as usual. His hands were concealed within ivory gloves, and a fine velvet cloak ran down his shoulders, rimmed with gold threads. He wore his father's crown upon his head, and his eyes shone like bright stars in the sky. He portrayed now the image of a true ruler. Confident, calm and elegant.

That was, until, the women started to arrive.

They came in ornate dresses of silks and satins, gold and gem-adorned ornaments. Flamboyant feathered coats and vests. The higher workings of the Archadian society. These were the noble_women_ of Archadia. The arrival of them in masses were rather disturbing, on carriages drawn by chocobos, and they surged into the dining hall, chattering incessantly. They hitched their skirts and took their seats.

"It looks like you've gotten yourself a fine array of choices, Larsa!"

A voice said jokingly, snapping Larsa back to reality. Turning around, he saw the sky pirate Balthier with his Viera partner Fran standing at the entrance to the dining hall. "Indeed." Fran said, her features unchanged, but the laughter in her eyes mirroring that of her partner. Although quite a long time had passed, they still looked the same. Balthier still looked as youthful and enthusiastic as he had been when they journeyed together, and Fran, of course, Viera never aged. It was extremely rude to ask of her age, as Vaan had learned before.

"Come, sit!"

Larsa said, smiling as the first of his old friends took their seats.

The Archadian women continued to file in, and Larsa watched the crowd of ladies expectantly, waiting to see a blonde plait somewhere, or at least that familiar smile he had so secretly admired seven years ago.

"Hello, Larsa. Glad to see you again."

It was the Queen Ashelia, with Basch following her, sword in hand.

"As am I, Lady Ashe. Ah Basch, you have returned. How was your stay at Dalmasca?"

"Good."

As the Queen and Basch took their seats, Larsa's heart began to pound faster than before. What if she didn't get the invitation? What if she wasn't coming? She was the only proof that something other than arranged marriages existed in the world. Larsa wasn't sure what he felt back then was just simple infatuation or something else. After all, he was only twelve at the time. But maybe tonight would prove different. Then maybe he wouldn't have to marry some Archadian woman he didn't even know. But...what if she--

"Larsa!"

It was Vaan.

The young street urchin strolled in merrily, dressed in his usual attire. Larsa smiled and shook his hand, glad that now no one, except maybe Al-Cid, tried to ruffle his hair in that annoyingly childish manner. He was no child. Not anymore, at least. And then, Larsa saw it. A pair of blonde plaits behind Vaan. It was Penelo. Her face was lit with that child-like innocence, just like seven years ago. Her hair was braided in a different style now, and she looked much more mature. She was already in her early twenties, but somehow, Larsa was still taller than her. For some strange reason, he felt better because of that.

"Sit, sit! Welcome. I hope you'll make yourselves at home."

"We sure will, Larsa!"

Penelo said cheerily, smiling at him. The young Emperor could do nothing but smile back, and Penelo earned a few jealous glances from a few women seated at the table. Dinner was served in courses. First came the soup. Larsa put his spoon into the creamy vegetable broth and stirred absentmindedly for a few seconds, before suddenly jerking it upwards such that a spoonful of soup nearly splattered onto his clothes. But luckily for him, it hit the cloth laid on the table. "Larsa, you absolute...ugh. What are you doing?" The young Emperor told himself, obviously embarassed. He didn't talk to himself often, it was actually quite rare.

"Larsa, your face's red. What's wrong?"

Vaan inquired, giving him a curious glance. Larsa's head shot abruptly up from where he was staring at the bowl of soup, and gave the entire table a smile which luckily, hid his nervousness. He was good at pretending. But his face was still flushed red. "Oh, it's nothing. Nothing at all. Do continue your meal." He said, spooning the soup into his mouth. The others shrugged and continued eating. During the dinner, Larsa spoke with his old friends about the past, and with the women, he talked about the growth of Archadia. After the soup came the main courses, and then there was a wonderful dessert. Finally, after the dinner was finished, servants hurried in to clear the plates.

It was then that the court musicians begun their first piece, a pleasant, soothing flute tune accompanied by a string orchestra, fit for dancing. The women looked towards the young Emperor, but Larsa remained in his seat as the others swiftly stood from their chairs to lead their selected partner out onto the dance floor. Unsurprisingly, Vaan asked Penelo to dance, which struck a chord somewhere in Larsa's heart, but he just couldn't place it. The women continued to look at him, as Balthier suavely asked Ashe to dance, which she accepted for 'entertainment purposes only', as she put it herself. But Larsa could see how she felt in her eyes, which made him feel even worse to not have a dancing partner. Of course, he had many Archadian women just waiting to follow him out onto the dance floor, but it was just so..._inappropriate_. Fran, who obviously didn't take well to dancing, sat in a corner, watching with a pleased reaction. Basch stood near to both Larsa and the Princess, sword still in hand. He was indeed a loyal guardian.

"My Lord, will you dance with me?"

A young Archadian girl, who looked barely seventeen, had mustered up the courage to ask him to dance. Nodding absently, Larsa followed her out on the dance floor. He was an excellent dancer, having been trained in the ways of royalty since birth, and brought up in House Solidor as one of its valued sons. The only son left, in fact. But this time, his heart wasn't with the music, but instead, his eyes were shooting small glances at Penelo, who was currently embroiled in a dance with Vaan, that uplifting smile still on her face. Finally, he let go of the girl's hand, as a series of claps signified that partners should be changed.

"Penelo, may I have this dance?"

Larsa finally asked, surprised that his voice came out without a single stutter.

"Of course, Larsa!"

Penelo replied, shooting him another gentle smile. Trying to divert his thoughts away from his horribly bad nervousness, he felt a bead of sweat trail down his forehead as he felt his hand, on its own accord, wrap around Penelo's waist. The music continued to play. Soothing, calming. "Don't be so nervous!" Penelo commented, grinning. The other Archadian women, luckily, had the men of the court at the time to dance with them, and thus they did not pay attention to Larsa, yet. He had managed to pull Penelo to a secluded corner, where the shadow of a hanging tapestry concealed them from the brightly lit ballroom. "Wow, this place is dark. I thought the entire ballroom was going to be really bright. Tonight's like...magic." Penelo whispered. "Yes, of course." Larsa answered, drawing her in such that his lips were barely centimetres away from hers.

"My Lord!"

An Archadian lady squealed, grabbing Larsa by the arm and violently wrenching him away from Penelo, who stood there, a surprised expression on her face. And that was when Larsa's heart sank. Very badly. "I had that chance..." He told himself silently. The woman managed to drag him here and there, and his feet just refused to move.

"He has interest in her." Fran stated calmly to Ashe, who had taken a seat next to the Viera.

"I can see that." Ashe said knowingly.

Very soon, the feast was over, and after some wine, the guests departed. It was strange that, right after this there was yet another meeting with the senate. After Larsa bid his guests goodbye, Queen Ashe placed a hand on his shoulder. "You can do it, I'm sure." She told him encouragingly, leaving before Larsa could gather up the sense of what she was saying.

"You have not chosen a bride."

A senator said, shaking his head slowly.

"None of them interest me."

Larsa replied in measured tones.

"Is that true? You are interested in the urchin from Dalmasca, the one with the young man..."

Larsa froze. How did they know? He could almost see the knowing eyes of the senators underneath the cover of their hoods. A low chuckle spread throughout the meeting hall, and Larsa felt his heart miss another beat. "She is not right for you, Larsa. You must marry someone with status." A senator recommended. "We will bring in more women from Archadia, and soon you will forget about her." That was the last straw. A clenched fist slammed onto the table in front of him.

"I will not!"

Larsa said through clenched teeth. Without a second word, he stood up and left.


	3. Starfield

**A/N:** Yes, I'm back again! Thanks again for all your wonderful reviews! I really appreciate it! Anyway, here's Chapter Three! Wooh, I think I must be going insane, uploading three chapters in a few days. Don't worry though, this story's going to get updated frequently, as much as I can manage. As some of you guessed, the plot is indeed becoming darker, and the Senate has an evil scheme afoot. While I'm failing at school! Okay, enough talk from me. Here's Chapter Three! (Hey it rhymes. xP) Also, by the way, I am aware that sometimes I have spelling errors (cause I'm like that). Like 'chance' instead of 'change'. WHAT'S WRONG WITH MEH?! Yep, the results of not having a Beta-Reader. Thanks for informing me :D

**Newer A/N:** I managed to upload this chapter due to someone's kind help in teaching me to add new chappies without having to fuss with uploading. Thus now I have Chapter Three! Yay! Oh, and I also updated the spelling errors in Chapter One.

**Chapter Three: Starfield**

The Senate sat around the large table, hands clasped on the wood and eyes peering at each other from under their hoods. There was a strange silence after the Emperor left the meeting hall, but the Senate took this as a good sign. "He is stubborn." A senator commented. The others nodded slowly. _Painfully_ slowly. "But we can convince him. We are the Senate, are we not?" Another spoke. There was a dry hum of approval all around as each hooded head bobbed up and down. "If he marries, we can, we _will _speak with his wife. She will impart our decisions to the young Emperor. Only the Senate can make the Empire rise to its fullest glory. Of course, he will listen to his future wife, will he not? That street urchin girl seems like a determined one, she will not be easy to control. We must convince our Emperor to think otherwise..."

And then there was another round of low laughter.

I nearly...

No...

But I was the one that restored the Senate...was it wrong?

Should I? ...

Judge Drace stared meaningfully down at the young Larsa, holding his hand as she guided it on the parchment. "Larsa, you are still young..." She said, watching as the ink curved to form the letter 'P'. "You know what you're writing, don't you?" Larsa blinked his eyes, as large and innocent as they were. The quill continued to move across the parchment, forming 'uppet'. "_Puppet_," Drace said solemnly, looking at him with motherly affection. Taking his shoulders, she turned the young boy towards her. "You must not become the Senate's puppet."

Should I? ...

Larsa jolted abruptly awake, streams of cool perspiration running down his forehead. He shivered as he felt a chilly breeze blow into the room. Delusioned with thoughts of _her_, and the old men in hoods, his frustration came full force. Then he decided. It was a brash decision now, but he had to do it. He was sure that she would still be in the city, considering the feast ended just a few hours ago. Possibly staying at a nearby inn, or even out in the streets, searching for goods at the midnight market. He wasn't sure. But he would try.

Larsa got up, grabbing the nearest, and the most tattered old cloak he could find and slung it about his shoulders. Although he was still in the Emperor's sleeping robes, he did not care as much. The cloak would disguise everything.

Looking out of his bedchamber, the young Emperor walked as quietly as he could manage out into the main hall, before exiting the palace. He gave the guards at the gate a look that told them not to inform anyone. The guards weren't those who liked the Senate. Larsa headed towards the streets. It was a peaceful night, but the streets were lit with the bustle of the night market. "Hey ther' traveller, ya look like someone who would like a cheap tuft o' phoenix down--" "I'm not interested, sorry." Larsa managed to reply as the seeq merchant shrugged and watched him walk away. Finally, Larsa heard familiar voices. And they, as usual, were bickering.

"You, my dear sky pirate, are too arrogant."

"And you, Princess, has finally decided to stay at an inn."

"I have stayed at inns before, don't you mock me."

"Not since you returned to the throne."

Larsa opened the creaky wooden door of the inn and walked up the stairs, but not before looking at the innkeeper who was fast asleep, or rather, knocked out, as evident from the bottle of wine that lay overturned on the counter. Once up the stairs, Larsa traced the source of the voices and gave the wooden door a few sharp knocks. Queen Ashe answered the door, her eyes inquisitive as she surveyed him, before an expression of surprise claimed her features. "Larsa! What are you doing here?" Balthier peeked out from behind Ashe. "Oh, so our young Emperor has come for a visit." he said, while Fran looked on with her usual steely gaze. Larsa blinked repeatedly, before coming to his senses.

"Where's Penelo?"

He asked bluntly, putting the question as he'd wanted to ask it, instead of making up a sentence like 'I'm searching for Penelo, could you tell me where I might find her'? He was far too tired for that. His heart quickened a few beats as Ashe bit her lip in thought. "I think she's gone to the night market with Vaan." "But I've been through the night market." Larsa said immediately, getting a sinking feeling. "No, not the one right in front of the palace. The one a little further from this inn." "Thank you." Larsa said, his features lighting up again, smiling as he turned to leave. "Sneaking out of the palace, eh?" Balthier said. Clearing his throat nervously, Larsa muttered a quick 'yes', and left.

After walking a fair distance away from the inn, Larsa spotted the lights of yet another night market.

And then he spotted Vaan and Penelo.

Larsa inched closer to them, and pretended to be admiring the display in front of him, which was, incidentally, a row of hi-potions. "Would you like a hi-potion, Sir?" The merchant asked him. Larsa stopped himself from letting out a short laugh at the irony. He had enough hi-potions. _More than enough_, in fact. Now was the moment. Tapping Penelo quickly on the shoulder, she turned. "I need to speak with you." Larsa said as softly as he could. Penelo's eyes widened. "Larsa? What're you doing here?" "Let's not talk about that, shall we? Come, I must return to the palace by daybreak." "How about Vaan?" "Don't tell him that I'm here. Just follow me, we need to talk in a place _less_ crowded." Larsa maintained. Nodding, Penelo went back to Vaan. "Hey Vaan, I'm going to look at the gold needles now, 'kay?" "Okay, just be back at the inn by dawn. I'll meet you then." Vaan said.

Smiling gratefully, Larsa took Penelo's hand and lead her to a large, empty spot near a row of buildings, as a few airships glided past above their heads. The bustling of the night market could still be heard from far away.

"Penelo, the Senate is thinking of arranging my marriage."

He could see Penelo's eyes widen even more, if that was possible.

"Why?" She managed to choke out.

"I...don't know. They say it'll help me increase my power over the Empire..."

"You can't..." Penelo murmured. It was obvious now that there was something between them. Some kind of unspoken bond that had started when Larsa was twelve, but him having dismissed it as a stupid infatuation that didn't mean anything.

"So, maybe this is goodbye after all..." Penelo added, oblivious to Larsa's glazed expression. Without another word, Larsa leaned forward and his lips met hers, hungry, wanting, _desperate _for that love he lost. It was long ago, yes. But it was not a stupid infatuation, as he now knew. Penelo's hands reached forward, entangling themselves in his dark hair. When they finally broke apart, Penelo stared at him, her eyes filled with sadness that he had never once seen. She leaned in again, but Larsa turned away. "I...cannot." "Do you really have to go?" She whispered. "This isn't the right time..." Larsa mumbled regretfully. He placed a small kiss on her cheek, and pointed a finger at the mass of stars above. The field of stars glittered like diamonds, precious, unreachable.

"You are like one of those stars. Nay, the brightest one."

Penelo smiled and reached out a hand to touch his face. He too reached out a hand and brushed a crystal-like tear from her eyes. "Don't cry. I will find a way around this. After all, Drace told me everything I needed to know."

They spent a few quiet moments, thinking, until Larsa noticed the first rays of the sun begin to light up the horizon.

"I have to go now."

Nodding, Penelo gave him a sad smile and headed back in the direction of the inn, whilst Larsa headed in the direction of the palace. Once he reached the gate, the sun was already starting to rise. A brilliant, beautiful sunrise was a common sight in Archades, but as he stared at the array of colour, Larsa could only think of Penelo. How she stared at him through that very sunrise. He unlocked the gate and slipped in, nodding at the guards. As he moved quietly back into his bedchambers, he leant back on his bed and dreamt. Of Penelo. And of that field of stars.

**More A/N:** Yay, fluff. Okay, so it's kind of angsty fluff, but I like it anyway. This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, sorry for that. But don't worry, the story continues!


	4. Wrong Decisions

**A/N:** Hello again, dear reviewers. This is Chapter Four! The story gets darker and darker yet, but I'm still hyper! And there's more angst and depression and such. Hope it isn't too much. If it is, sorry! I'll make up for it in the next chapter! Also, I hope you'll enjoy, and I shan't talk too much this time. Again, please R&R, a review from you makes my day! Thank you!

**Chapter Four: Wrong Decisions**

It was already morning when the servant came into Larsa's bedchamber.

"My Lord, it is morning."

Of course, Larsa had managed to sleep, although he barely had enough sleep. As he rose from the covers, he rubbed his eyes and blinked, squinting at the detestable amount of sunlight that had poured in through the window. Turning to his servant, he nodded. "Good, return to your duties. I will take care of everything else." Larsa said. The servant bowed and exited. By 'everything else', Larsa had meant yet _another_ meeting with the Senate. He was now beginning to understand why his late brother loathed those hooded old men so much, although he did not condone Vayne's behaviour.

"Ah, Emperor Larsa, you have arrived."

The Senate nodded their shadowed heads at him as he took his seat. Larsa simply gave them a look which read, 'Let's get this over with so I may leave this room and your ignorant prattling'. Understanding the look, a senator started the conversation by speaking of the thing the Emperor dreaded to hear since last night at the market.

"We have found a bride for you, Larsa."

The words the Emperor was about to say lodged in his throat at the last moment. He managed to swallow the sentence, and felt it hit the pit of his stomach with an excruciatingly painful sensation. The senator nodded at the other senators, something the Senate did very often. It showed group approval. Maybe not Larsa's approval, but the Senate's. The old men continued nodding absently, and the cloth hoods of their attire fell lower over their eyes, giving them a more mysterious appearance than what they already portrayed. Larsa opened his mouth to speak again, but a senator cut him off. "She is waiting for you in the throne room."

"But I refuse."

"It is your duty as Emperor. You must ensure House Solidor lives on."

"I will only marry--"

"You will not marry her. She is not suited for you. This is the will of the Senate."

"What? I--"

Larsa managed to get two words out, but the entire Senate just stood up and left just like that. It was surprising, really, considering he was usually the one that left the room first. As expected, an armoured Imperial entered the room and bowed to Larsa. "The Lady is waiting, My Lord." He said. Larsa dismissed the Imperial and tried to gather the remnants of his fallen spirit, but to no avail. Finally, it seemed the young Emperor had no choice but to face the fact that he had to meet the woman. Otherwise, he would be giving her a very bad impression of Archadian royalty, considering he was the last of House Solidor. If he did not wed, then who would continue the bloodline? No one. And then, the Empire would crumble. Crumble from the pedestal of glory it now stood on.

Larsa knew it was his duty as Emperor.

Horrible as it might be to marry not for love, but for country, it was his duty.

The sound of Larsa's boots hitting the marbled floor of the throne room reverbated through the cold, empty hall, where a woman stood a few metres away from the empty throne. Her hands were clasped, and she had a worried expression on her face. Her face said it all. She was young, innocent and obviously, capable of being used as a puppet by the Senate. She looked barely sixteen. But he was told she was seventeen. As he approached, she turned and her eyes lit up with a sincere light. "My Lord." She said, before realising her mistake and lowering her head. "Forgive me for my rudeness." Larsa looked at her. His eyes had a far-off look to them. He was obviously thinking of something else.

"What is your name?"

"I am Vadris Tiadras, my Lord."

"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Vadris."

"As am I, my Lord."

The sound of yet another pair of feet echoed across the marble. Turning his head towards the source of noise, Larsa saw a senator walking briskly towards him. The senator smiled at the girl. "Vadris, you are a lucky one to be the bride of the Emperor of Archadia." The statement caught Larsa off guard. "My mother said I must." Vadris replied quietly. Before he knew it, Larsa had cut in.

"You didn't tell me--"

"Yes, Emperor Larsa. Everything has been arranged. The wedding will take place the following week."

"So quickly?"

"Yes. So quickly she may ascend the throne as Empress, and quickly you may expand the reaches of your power."

Larsa could not reply. It was harsh. So very harsh. It was _painful_, cutting into him like a razor. But then the word 'duty' hit him again full force. He remembered, for as long as he had lived, he had been bound to duty. Duty to do what was best for the Empire, duty to Archadia. And most of all, duty to his father, who never trusted Vayne to do the job. If he protested now, it would lead to more conflict. And Larsa hated conflict. Maybe he was just running away, maybe it was never meant to be...but why? "I..." Larsa began, as both Vadris and the senator looked at him.

"And so the will of the Senate be done."

Larsa said, his voice trembling on what seemed to be the tones between hatred and sadness. But he had his _duty_. And that was what mattered most. Emperors had to set an example for their subjects, and he would not fail his people now. "I am sorry, Vadris." He managed to utter before turning on his heel and returning to his private chambers. "He did not say anything to me." The senator murmured slowly, amused.

Don't worry...

Don't worry, Larsa...

Everything will be all right...soon...

Penelo walked along the streets, headed for the outskirts of Archades so that she might begin the journey back to Dalmasca. Balthier had told her to meet them all there, as he had placed the _Strahl_ somewhere in the area, but obviously, unseen. She pushed a strand of blonde hair away from her eyes as she walked on, wondering why the day seemed darker than usual. Maybe, it was her heart that made it darker. Just as she was about to walk past the guards at the gate, she heard the excited cry of a young girl on the streets to her friends.

"Have you heard? Emperor Larsa's getting married next week! Oh what a glorious occasion it'll be!"

Why so soon?

Penelo stopped in her tracks.

Something fell from her eyes. It splashed onto the ground below her.

Why so soon?

Larsa Ferrinas Solidor had a dream that night. A dream to rival all sort of dreams that he had in the past. This was real, so real that he could almost reach out and touch his surroundings. So real that he could feel every emotion. And the worst of all, it was so real that he could feel the heartbreak, the pain, and the sorrows that came with it. He dreamt that he was atop a carriage. A magnificent gilded carriage of gold, of ivory and silver, of ornate carvings. Drawn by the handsomest chocobos in the whole Empire. Feathers adorned the heads of the birds, flowers littered the sky and the air was thick with the scent of expectation. Cheers rose into the air. Crowns gleamed under the sun. He dreamt of himself, and the person next to him. But he could not see her face.

She wore a crown of gold upon her hair, that cascaded loose in luminous golden waves down her shoulders. Waves. Waves that had come about from plaits. _Golden plaits_. He smiled at her then, as they entered the hall where they were to be wed. The priest stood before them, a large book in his hand. "May the gods watch over you. Faram." The priest said, as he began to lean in to kiss her.

Then he saw her eyes.

Those eyes, carved with hope, happiness, everything he had wanted since the years past.

They transformed to smoke, clouding her true feelings. And for a moment there, her face turned to that of Vadris, her innocent smile, her faultless exterior demeanour, and then...it changed to Penelo. As the surroundings shifted, twisted, and everything blurred out of view, he could still see her eyes. And he could see her tears.

**More A/N:** Wooh, that was a hard chapter to write. I wanted to make the OC as realistic as possible. And in case you wonder, she isn't spectacularly beautiful or anything, or has super fighting skills. Just a puppet for the Senate to use. You can hate the OC all you want. But don't get mad at me yet, 'cause the story isn't over:O Watch out for the next chapter! That is, if Doc Manager doesn't screw up on me. :( Wait, it already did.


	5. Puppetmaster

**A/N:** Hey, it's me again, KOP, or if you wanna call me by name, Amber. I've taken to uploading new chapters without having to tear Document Manager to itty bits and pieces. It's a useful method. Anyway, here's Chapter Five! Because the past two chapters were all dark and angsty, I shall tweak this one just a little to make it a little less dark-er and angsty-er. But still, it is dark and angsty. Sorry about that. Enjoy!

**Chapter Five: Puppetmaster**

The _Strahl _landed with a flourish onto Dalmasca's Estersand, and the door slid open, allowing a ramp down onto the ground. As the six party members swiftly exited, Basch gave a look around. "Ah, it is nice to be back in Dalmasca." "Yes, but you do have to return to Archadia soon, Basch." Ashe replied. Balthier and Fran nodded. "We'll have a little drink at the Sandsea before we proceed to Bhujerba." Balthier declared, and was the first to move off.

"Hey Penelo, you wanna go to the market place?"

"Sure, why not?"

Penelo had not forgotten about the earlier events, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it. She knew that it wasn't Larsa's fault, but instead those hooded old men. But did she hate them? No. She thought they were just trying to do what they could for the Empire. "Larsa won't be happy with someone like me anyway." She murmured.

"What did you say, Penelo?" It was Vaan.

"Nothing! Let's go!" Penelo replied, giving her best friend a cheerful smile. She had always treated Vaan as a sort of sibling, since they did live together ever since he lost his parents in the war. After that, he'd lost his brother too. And he still managed to put on a cheerful demeanour. Why couldn't she? Ignoring all thoughts of her sadness, she told herself she would leave it in Archadia. But somehow they still tugged at her heartstrings with a painful grip. They were on the way to the market when she saw something rather interesting.

Deciding she'd catch up with Vaan, who obviously didn't know that she had stopped following him, later, she walked over to the booth that had caught her eye.

Penelo had never actually seen a puppet show before, but once having arrived back in Rabanastre, had now gotten a chance to see one being set up. Curious, she moved closer to the booth, where a mass of small children had gathered, their eyes bright with excitement. They brought along with them various coins, gil they made from doing odd jobs around the city. A certain few carried moogle toys in their arms. They were mostly of ages five to nine, although there were certain ten or eleven year olds around, some to watch over their younger siblings. There wasn't really a trace of anyone Penelo's age at the puppet show, but, she figured she'd still stop by and watch.

"Um, Miss, aren't you a bit too old for a puppet show?"

Penelo turned to see a disgruntled twelve-year-old boy staring back at her with large green eyes, his arms folded in obvious irritation. A smaller girl was prancing around at his feet, squealing happily as she watched the puppeteer set up his booth. "Stop jumping around, Brynn, or I swear I will tell mother." The girl obviously didn't listen. Penelo watched, amused. How this twelve-year-old thought he was too matured for such a trivial thing like a puppet show. He reminded her of someone, really. Someone who had duties that a child should have never been made to take up. But now it was over. It was over long ago. That someone was getting married, and she could do nothing about it.

She bit back the tears that threatened to flow.

"Miss, why are you crying? I was just asking a question."

Quickly wiping the remnants of the almost-tears away from her eyes, she gave the child a smile.

"I'm never too old for a puppet show. I just didn't get to watch one when I was a child like you."

For a moment, the boy stared. Then, his eyes lit up. "Hey, I know you! You're Penelo! I was five when I first saw you. You always hung around with Vaan right? I saw Vaan at the market place today. He was looking for you. Vaan told us all about you when he was...um, stealing." The boy said. Just as he was about to continue talking about Vaan's infamous exploits, the smaller children in front of them fell silent. The puppet show had begun. Penelo decided to sit down, and the boy sat down next to his sister.

A wooden puppet dangled down from the ceiling of the makeshift stage. It was made completely out of wood, and there was no expression on its blank face. All that was painted there was an unmoving, eerie smile. The children laughed and giggled. "Hello, children!" A voice came from below the stage. "Hello, puppet!" The children chorused in unison. Penelo could see a few thin, but not completely invisible strings attached to the puppet's limbs. But the children didn't obviously see the strings, as they were too busy clapping for the puppet. The puppet then proceeded to belt out a song and dance to the _miserably_ happy tune, and the children cheered in delight. Finally, the puppet withdrew into the ceiling and the puppeteer came out with a hat.

"Be generous, dear children, and give a bit to the poor old puppeteer."

The children immediately started to toss gil into the hat, and Penelo saw the gleam of achievement in the puppeteer's eyes.

Puppetmaster.

"Good evening, Lady Vadris."

A senator drawled, entering the private chamber in which the woman sat, attempting to do up her hair with the wide array of combs and pins set on a tray before her. "Good evening, senator." She said with obvious disquietude. "What brings you here today?" "Well, it's not what brings _me_ here today, but it's what brings _Archadia_ here today." The hooded old man replied.

"Archadia?"

"Yes. After all, it is you who are soon to be the Emperor's wife. You must make proper and correct decisions for the state. _Proper and correct_, Vadris." The woman sat quiet. There was a lingering presence in the room. She wasn't sure if it was just a figment of imagination. But it felt like an evil presence, something that made her feel increasingly uncomfortable.

"How do I make proper decisions for the state?" Vadris asked, unsure. She didn't want to do anything wrong, at risk of hurting Archadia's reputation. She had been a born Archadian since childhood, and her parents wanted her to be proud of her homeland. It was one of the greatest in Ivalice, after all. She had began to wonder about wrong decisions ever since Vayne launched the airships. She had watched them sail over her then eleven-year-old head. "Mother, what is Vayne doing?" She had asked. "Something very wrong." Her mother had replied. "But Emperor Gramis will stop him..." That was when they learned that the Emperor Gramis had been assassinated. They then thought that the Empire would be forever condemned under the hands of Vayne. But it was not so.

"How? Listen to the Senate, Vadris. They know what to do. Of course, you could always make your own decisions, but it may impact the Empire _negatively_. You don't want that, do you Vadris?"

"No, I don't." The girl said quietly.

"Good, so listen--"

A loud slamming of the door jolted the senator and Vadris out of their conversation. Larsa stormed into the chamber and fixed the senator with a furious glare. "I did not restore the Senate for no reason. I trust you'd make the proper decisions for the state. If I were Vayne, you would have all been executed! You should be grateful, but instead, you attempt to make Vadris your puppet!" The senator sat calmly, not the least bit shocked. "You should control your temper, Lord Larsa. It has been growing through the years."

"Temper? What is this temper that you speak of? I would not have to be angry if you did not give me reason to! I have already accepted my duties to the state by agreeing to marry this woman, but still you try to stab me in the back. If you have ever seen a puppet show, dear senator, you will see that despite the strings hanging from the puppet, all the audience sees is the show. The _show_, old man. No one sees the strings nor the puppeteer. But it is all the puppeteer's doing. And it is the puppet that entertains the audience, not the puppeteer. But who reaps the reward?"

The young Emperor then exited in a furious rage. The sound of boots ran down the hallway until it vanished.

"You see how he treats you, Vadris?" The senator commented soundly. "He did not even address you by name. He called you 'this woman'."

"But surely he was just angry--"

"Angry, Vadris? Of course he is angry. Angry at the thought of having to marry you, when in fact he is in love with a lowly street urchin of Dalmasca! How shocking is that? And so he takes his woes out on the Senate, on me, a poor old man who just wants the best for Archadia. But you can prove him wrong, Vadris. Prove to him that you can be Archadia's greatest Empress."

"How?"

"Listen to the Senate, Vadris..."

Listen to the Senate.

Why must I be forced into this?

Sickening. Utterly sickening.

The door to Larsa's bedchamber was flung open with astounding strength as the young Emperor stormed into the room, a disgusted look on his features. The Senate. He should have never restored them. Although they brought stability to the country, that cousel of old men wanted to drive him to an early grave. But if he had them removed now, the state would surely see his loathing. Some would label it biased, and would mock his authority if he did marry _her_.

Looking out of his window, Larsa saw below him the streets of Archadia. He saw the children gathering for a puppet show, unaware that Penelo had seen the same things he was now about to see. The show, the puppeteer. The entertainment. The gil. The achievement. He would not be the Senate's puppet, but because of this marriage he could be forcibly controlled. And none would care as much. Because all they saw was the Emperor's authority and glory. All they saw was the show.

And the puppeteer would reap the rewards.


	6. Escape

**A/N: **Yes, it's Amber again. DM is FINALLY working, so I won't have to tear it up. There will be no mention of Vadris in this chapter. All Larsa/Penelo moments, yay! WARNING. There will be _slight_ limey content in this chapter. Yes, yes, I'm too young to write this kind of stuff. But anyway, thanks for your reviews, and if you would like to be my Beta-Reader/Editor, please do PM me. I'll try my best this time to format the story so it's readable. Enjoy!

**Chapter Six: Escape**

"I can't let him do this."

Penelo maintained, as steadily as she could manage.

"Let _who_ do this?"

Vaan asked questioningly.

"Larsa..."

Penelo whispered. Both of them were seated at a table in the Sandsea Tavern, sipping a cup of wine that had been brought over by the bartender just a few minutes earlier. Vaan felt as if he wasn't supposed to be so concerned about the matter, but was. Instead, he decided he'd comfort Penelo. After all, he knew how it felt like to have lost someone you loved. Not that Larsa was 'lost' in any way, but because he was about to be lost to Penelo in marriage. He had heard the news once it came to Dalmasca. The entire city of Rabanastre were in a flurry of chatter about the incident. Vaan took a deep breath and said,

"I'm not encouraging you to do anything rash, but if you really don't want to lose him, go back to Archades."

Penelo snapped out of her reverie and gave Vaan a strange look.

"Go back to Archades? It's not as if Larsa will let me stay at the palace or anything."

Vaan sighed and replied simply,

"If so, he's not worth your tears."

Penelo gave her friend a grateful smile. Throughout the years, Vaan had always been there for her.

"Balthier?"

The sky pirate looked up from a conversation with Fran to see Penelo standing behind him. Smiling at the girl, the sky pirate nodded kindly at her. "Yes, what can I do for you, dear Penelo?"

"Could you get the _Strahl_ and take me somewhere?"

_Tick tock._

_Tick tock._

_Time's passing quickly. Quickly as a sigh._

"Does it fit, Lord Larsa?"

The tailor inquired, holding a large piece of velvet cloth up to the Emperor's shoulders, allowing the bottom of it to sweep the dust off the floor. The tailor had spent the last hour conducting a series of measurements for the Emperor's wedding garments. And through it all, the only signs of approval Larsa gave were the occasional nods and sighs. Sometimes a quiet 'yes'. He could tell that something was not right. Why would the Emperor be so depressed if he were about to get married? After all, weddings were a grand affair.

"I don't think you want this marriage, Lord Larsa."

The tailor said, his tone a matter of fact. This caused the young Emperor to turn towards the tailor and fix him with such a look that the tailor wondered if he were about to be sent off for execution. However, the Emperor simply gave a brief nod and returned to staring at the mirror. Larsa's grey eyes had a far-off look to them, as though he was thinking about something else other than the fact that an elderly tailor was busy fitting his cloaks and shirts to the right size. Also, he did not notice the looming figure of the _Strahl_ outside the window.

"Thank you, Balthier."

Penelo said as she disembarked. Vaan had not followed her, as he told her she could handle this by herself, and that he should not interfere. Balthier bid her farewell as he went back into the _Strahl_, where Fran awaited. After a few moments' pause, the ship rose into the air and took off into the dim evening horizon.

Once the airship was out of sight, Penelo took the chance and ran through the crowds towards the palace, where a senator was addressing the large crowd that surged towards the raised platform on which he stood. Clearing his throat, the senator said,

"All right, all right. Enough chattering. Yes, the wedding will take place three days later. Do not worry yourselves, the entire city is invited."

Ignoring that familiar stabbing pain in her heart, Penelo managed to make use of the situation and the crowd to sneak past the senator and to the guarded gate of the palace. Just as she was about to sneak through via the green bushes, a loud voice made her jump.

"The palace is off-limits to city dwellers. I'm afraid you'll have to go back."

It was an Imperial. The guard surveyed her with the intensity of a rabid dog as she smiled meekly and attempted to back out of the gate. Just as she was about to turn and run, a kind, but firm voice snapped into her thoughts.

"Let her pass."

Larsa told the guard, who promptly bowed and said, "Yes, Majesty." before moving aside.

A smile lit up Penelo's face as she ran towards Larsa and flung her arms around him, burying her head into his shoulder. "The tailor was measuring the cloths for my wedding garments when I saw you from the window. At least, the tailor himself knew that this marriage is not a matter of love." Larsa said quietly. Penelo was touched, and as she saw the elderly tailor shambling out of the gate from the corner of her eye, shot him a grateful smile. The tailor smiled back. "Good luck, young lady." He mouthed before hobbling out the gate.

"What are you doing here?"

Larsa asked hurriedly in a whisper, hoping vaguely that the speaking senator wouldn't notice the two of them.

"We need to go somewhere else. Vadris is out of the palace at the moment with the senators."

The Emperor's bedchamber was dark, lit by a few candles set atop an ornately carved wooden dresser. The thick smell of spices permeated the room, and a cool breeze blew in from the open window. The canopy bed lay in the centre of the room, the satin curtains hanging magnificently over the mattress. The curtains were tied by pieces of gold rope fastened to wooden pegs on each of the bed's four pillars. An elegantly embroidered carpet lay on the floor.

"Penelo..."

His voice was a breathy whisper.

"You came back."

Instantly, the regal attitude he portrayed to the Archadians was gone. In its place was just Larsa. Not Emperor Larsa Ferrinas Solidor, ruler of Archadia. But just Larsa, the twelve, now nineteen-year-old who had secretly admired Penelo all these years. Although Penelo was a few years older than he, it did not stop him from wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him. She felt his breath along her neck. It was unsteady. Her heart beat faster, almost so that it wanted to rip itself out from her chest in a swift motion.

Closing all sane thoughts in her mind and shoving them aside, Penelo pushed the Emperor back and locked her lips with his, such that he let out an audible gasp before he returned the kiss gladly and gently, eyelids fluttering shut as they were caught up in lost moments from their past. Immediately, Larsa's arm seemed to find itself behind her back to pull on the strap of the lacings on the vest she wore.

_Are we moving too fast?_

Penelo closed this thought and tossed it away too, knowing that such a chance might never come again.

He broke away and kissed her on the forehead as he withdrew his hand from her back iwth the lacing, and tossed it on the floor. The back of her vest opened slightly as he pulled it out towards him, and off her and also tossed it aside. He planted a light trail of kisses down her shoulder and an inaudible breath escaped her parted lips.

Her hands had just begun to reach for the clasp on his cloak before a loud clanging of metal-clad boots interrupted them.

"We cannot do this now."

The Emperor whispered regretfully as Penelo pulled on her vest. The metallic clanging noises increased in decibels. It was obviously one of the Imperials...escorting a senator. It was a fearful moment.

'Hurry!"

Larsa urged as Penelo slipped quietly out of the room. She would stay at a nearby inn tonight.

_This was to be my escape._

Larsa thought forlornly as he slumped onto the bed. Meanwhile, Judge 'Gabranth' entered. Larsa breathed a faint sigh of relief.

"Basch, you have returned at last. Haven't you issues to deal with with the Lady Ashe?"

"No, my Lord. Balthier told me of some important matters that I need to deal with here in Archades."

An ebony eyebrow quirked upwards as Larsa gave Basch a quizzical look. Surely he did not know about the current situation. If he did, it would be strange indeed. But how...wait. Balthier and Fran weren't stupid. After all, they seemed to know everything that was going on. And if it weren't for them, Penelo would still be in Rabanastre. Balthier must have put Basch up to this. It was...detestable to say the least. But at least Balthier cared for their well-being. Sighing, Larsa spoke.

"Did Balthier tell you everything?"

Basch nodded.

"Yes he did."

For once, Larsa felt like there were people who actually understood his situation. But then, further actions would have to wait until the next day. The senators would be returning soon, and there would be no more time for private moments such as this.

-

**More A/N:** Whew. That was the closest to a lemon I've ever gone. I'm still contemplating if I should change the rating and write one, or if it would interfere with the storyline in any way. Trust me, despite my age, I am not too young. -is corrupted already- Just kidding. This was one hard chapter to write. Once again, I appreciate your reviews and all the tips you put in for me. This was a short chapter, yes, but hard to write, like I said. Anyway, I will try to update Chapter Seven as quickly as I can, but because I'm overloaded with homework at the moment, it might take a day or two. Or even until the weekend. I apologize. But R&R please!


	7. Protest

**A/N: **Hello again, dear reviewers! This will be a _really_ short chapter. I apologize but my brain has officially stopped functioning. Hectic schedule and all that jazz in school. This chapter will be as long as I can possibly manage. Also, this chappie might be somewhat emotionless thanks to my head, which is not obeying me. -tired out- Also, I've carefully mapped out the coming chapters. This will be a 14-Chapter story, with a _possible_ (still deciding) lemon and rating change in Chapter Ten, so please stay tuned!

**Chapter Seven: Protest**

It was like a block weighing down onto his head. If someone put a large stone block onto your head, of course, it might affect your ability to think properly. And fatigue was just like a block on the head. Fatigue also causes you to fall asleep when you least want it to happen. And fatigue had, the night before, attacked Larsa Ferrinas Solidor.

Droves of dust lifted themselves in grey mists from the carpet as dim rays of sunlight seeped in through the windows, although the curtains had been very messily pulled over them in a rather shabby attempt to block out the light. Larsa had his arms slung about the desk with his head face-down in the comfortable resting spot that his arms provided. A bottle of ink was overturned on the table in front of him, an unsightly black stain ruining the parchment that lay next to it. His quill pen was clutched in his right hand. The parchment that lay seperate from the others had writing all over it in elaborate, fancy lettering.

_Dearest Senate._

_I must question your methods in ..._

The wordings were cut off when, obviously, Larsa had fallen asleep.

"Highness."

The maidservant glanced curiously down at the sleeping Emperor, hoping that he'd wake up before he was late for his public address with his subjects. Seeing how he wasn't going to wake up any time soon, she tried again.

"Highness."

No response from Larsa. After awhile, she decided she had to resort to more...disrespectful measures. Raising a finger, she reached her hand over to prod Larsa in the shoulder. But just before her fingertip touched the sleeve of his coat, the young Emperor abruptly sat up. Turning his head, he noticed the tall, plump figure of the maidservant and smiled apologetically. Breathing in the dust-filled air, he said,

"Apologies. I'll be at the stand in ten minutes."

_Was last night the final opportunity?_

_What should I have done?_

Penelo walked along a cobblestone pavement on the streets of Archades, wondering how on earth she would manage to sneak into the palace again that night. She also felt as if the Senate were prodding into her own personal matters. Before she could arrange her thoughts, a loud voice echoed throughout the bustling city. A voice, sly as a fox, and cunning in its own right. The voice of a senator. It twisted words that pained to something sweet, and Penelo could already see the hooded man atop the podium in the distance. He said,

"Now, citizens, your Emperor, His Highness Larsa Ferrinas Solidor!"

Penelo saw Larsa step onto the podium. She was rather surprised that he wore a face of confidence and glory. She knew that he did not want to marry, but yet he was putting on a mask. Why so? It was a thing about him she had never noticed before. He held a long roll of parchment in his hand, but after looking it over, he crumpled it and tossed it away. The crowd gasped in unison, looking shocked. Without a second thought, he spoke loudly and clearly to the audience.

"People of Archades!"

The audience roared for their glorious ruler.

"Who is your Emperor? What does the Emperor promise the people?"

"You are our Emperor! The Emperor protects the people!"

The crowd shouted. Larsa smiled at them, and when he caught sight of Penelo watching in the crowd, he smiled at her as well, and she knew that what he was saying now wasn't what he was supposed to say. He was saying it for her. The senators that stood at the sidelines had their faces creased in frustration, and a certain few senators had started whispering amongst themselves. They wanted him to say, obviously, that he approved of the marriage and that the preperations were going as planned. But it was not so. Vadris watched from the sidelines as well. There was no expression upon her features.

"As you may know, the wedding will take place soon."

The crowd cheered.

"What Empress do you want for the Empire?"

The crowd shouted suggestions, and the chatter erupted into a huge chaotic frenzy. The Imperials moved forward to control the crowd, but Larsa motioned them aside. He shouted above the commotion, and immediately all heads turned once more.

"An Empress that will protect her people and uphold the duties!"

"An Empress that will guard herself and not be guarded by the Emperor!"

"An Empress that will do her best for the Empire!"

"Do you think that the new Empress, assigned by the Senate, will be able to do this?"

The crowd fell into silence. All eyes were focused on Vadris. She stared at them for awhile, before she broke into sobs and ran into the palace. The senators cast Penelo a scathing look, before vanishing with the girl into the palace. Larsa motioned to the crowd, who surged towards the podium. "I'll leave the people to decide. Your Senate, or your Emperor?" And with that, he walked into the palace. Penelo stood, stunned. She had never seen Larsa like this before. Despite her admiration for him, she couldn't help but notice that, while campaigning against the Senate, he had hurt the girl's feelings deeply. Penelo knew it wasn't Vadris' fault. But at least the Senate got what they deserved for the moment.

She snuck past the guards and followed Larsa into the palace.


	8. Murdered Justice

**A/N: **I've returned from the DEAD! All right. This story is _going to get finished_, no matter how long it takes. A shoutout to my loyal reviewers! Your reviews have encouraged me lots! Arika, that little dialogue of yours was HILARIOUS. Loved it. xD Especially when the Senator exploded. Please continue to critique and give your opinions, it means much to me.

**Chapter Eight: Murdered Justice**

A bevy of armored guards strolled wearily past Penelo as she hid herself carefully behind a large, ornate pillar. The fading of the sounds of clunking metal assured her that they were gone, as she took the opportunity to spring from behind the pillar to a nearby corridor, which, fortunately for her, was dimly lit. The only source of light in the entire stretch of rooms was a single, chandelier-like object suspended from the ceiling. It radiated with a dim blue glow, somewhat resembling glossair rings. She wanted to look for Larsa, but before she could do so, the sounds of an arguement drew her attention.

"This was just a set-up, wasn't it?"

A voice shouted, high-pitched and obviously angry. Penelo could not sustain her curiosity, so she peered over the edge of the doorframe. Vadris was seated on a red velvet armchair, her ordinary features now twisted into an emotion of extreme hate. The white hood of the Senator could be seen from the corner of Penelo's eye. Vadris' fingers were clenched around the armrest, and her eyes glinted in a mix of fear, confusion and anger. The Senator, however, continued to speak in a calm voice, trying to reassure her.

"Do not worry, Vadris. Once you are Empress you will--"

"Enough of this! I'm just your miserable puppet, am I not? I've seen through your lies!"

Vadris cut the Senator off in mid-speech, rising abruptly from the chair. The fine silk hem of her gown swept across the marble as she gave the Senator another heated glare. There was a malevolent glint in the old man's eye as he followed her out, reminding her of her duties as the Emperor's betrothed. Penelo backed into the shadows as the pair approached the door. The only thing she could hear now was the Senator.

"The Senate will not allow you to--"

There was a loud, horrifying scream and the crashing of glass. And then everything went silent. Penelo pressed herself against the wall as she watched Vadris emerge from the room, the skirt of her gown ripped at the sides. She wiped her hands on the ivory gown, smearing it with red. Without noticing Penelo, she stormed down the dim corridor and vanished from sight. It was then Penelo felt that she should investigate.

Entering the room, broken glass crunched under her shoes as she made her way across the carpet. To her horror, she saw the body of the Senator lying face-down in a pool of blood. Seeing a metallic object sticking out of the old man's back, she reached for it and pulled it out, holding it up to the light. It was a letter-opener, one which Larsa had used on several occasions to open official, confidential letters from other nations. It looked like a knife, with an intricate design running down the gold handle. The silver edge came to a sharp point, and it was splattered with crimson.

Penelo could do nothing but stare at the body for several moments.

"You there! What do you think you're doing?"

A guard's voice snapped Penelo out of her thoughts. She was still holding the letter-opener.

"I...Vadris...she..."

The guard ignored her and motioned to his fellow Imperials to enter the room. On seeing the body of the dead Senator, they gasped in shock and roughly grabbed Penelo's arms. Another guard bound them with chains.

"But I didn't..."

Penelo started, but was immediately slapped by a guard, and forced down the corridor and down a flight of mossy stone steps. She knew where she was going. It was the palace dungeon. The nauseating scent of rotting food and sweat greeted her as she tried not to think about Larsa. What would he say if he knew? _They would tell him!_ They would tell him that she had murdered a Senator.

The guards flung her into a dirty cell and locked the metal door, leaving her as they once more ascended the stairs, discussing the way in which they could impart the information to the Emperor. Penelo's heartbeat increased, as she slumped against the stone wall, trembling as she imagined the consequences of her actions. She should not have been curious. But Vadris, she was the one who did it. Penelo closed her eyes and huddled in a darkened corner, whispering.

_Larsa, I didn't do it._

And then she wept.

_We are gathered here today, to grieve the loss of one of our dearest Senators. He was murdered by a city girl, who had sneaked into the palace after the Emperor's speech. By the Senate's command she is to be executed at dawn, and the Emperor gives his condolences._

Larsa stared in horror at the piece of parchment before him. It required his signature to approve the execution of the murderess. She had been identified as Penelo of Rabanastre. _His_ Penelo of Rabanastre. He didn't believe this, as he watched the flower-wreathed coffin from his window, carried by six Imperials. The people of Archades watched solemnly as the funeral parade passed, but not a single one cried.

Putting down the parchment, still unsigned, Larsa decided to visit the dungeon.

_I didn't do it, it wasn't me..._

"Penelo, I believe you."

Penelo looked up as she saw Larsa smiling sadly at her from outside the cell. He held the parchment roll in his hands as he showed it to her, telling her how the guards had come into his chamber and informed him of the Senator's demise. He was shocked, of course, but he knew that Penelo would never commit such a heinous crime. But there were still other things he needed to know. Reaching his arm behind the bars, he caressed her cheek gently.

"I believe you didn't do it. But I need to know who did..."

Larsa said as softly as he could manage. It was unnecessary for guards to barge in at this period of time.

"It was Vadris."

Penelo whispered.

"Vadris?"

Larsa said, drawing back slightly. His eyes darkened slightly as his eyebrows knitted together in a frown. He knew that his betrothed had been acting extremely strange lately. Of course, he should have cared more about her well-being since they were about to be married. However, it was very likely that the once-demure girl could snap and take the life of a Senator. Larsa himself had never felt comfortable in the midst of those hooded men. _Vadris_...had a much weaker spirit than he.

"Justice must be done..."

Larsa murmured, pacing back and forth across the stone tiles.

"You can't sign it, can you? _Your Majesty_...you can't bear to execute her. It's a pity though. Whether you sign it or not, the execution will take place as planned."

The low voice of yet another Senator cut into Larsa's thoughts. The stinging words were followed by a low, menacing laugh. Larsa gritted his teeth. He had been tolerating the Senate's behaviour for quite a while now, and his nerves were hurting. The old man shuffled across the dungeon floor as Penelo watched with fearful eyes. Larsa's hands balled into fists, squeezing the parchment. Larsa hissed through his teeth.

"This is injustice. How could you condemn her without proper investigation into the matter?"

The Senator simply laughed again.

"Let us just say, your highness, that it was the Senate's..._joint decision_. _It is for the best_."

The old man murmured wryly, wringing his wrinkled hands together. Larsa turned around, eyes blazing with unrestrained fury. He wasn't a violent person by nature. Rather, a good-mannered ruler who would gladly humor one if need be. However, this could not be tolerated. Turning on his heel, Larsa strode past the Senator and up the stairs, disappearing completely from sight. Penelo continued to watch the Senator, who turned and gave her an eerie smile, before following Larsa up the stairs.

Night fell, and the palace was enveloped in darkness.

Vadris blew out her candle and prepared for bed, just as the Senator entered her chambers.

"My lady, are you feeling well?"

Vadris turned, her once-calm gaze now filled with mists of confusion and dementia. It seemed that all traces of sanity had left her, but she still managed to remain insouciant to the Senator's prying gaze. Her lips parted, and she seemed in thought for a short moment, before replying generously.

"Never better, sire. _Never better_."


	9. Black Dawn

**A/N: **Another chapter! Whoo, I'm running out of muse. The poem is written by me. This chapter will be shorter than the others, somewhat like Chapter Seven, but I hope you don't mind. Two chapter updates in two days! As usual, please continue to support me and review, I really appreciate your opinions. In case any of you PM-ed me in the past, I'm sorry I couldn't reply. . My e-mail account was unceremoniously shut down due to lack of usage, and I just restarted it. Anyway, enjoy the chapter! 

**Chapter Nine: Black Dawn**

_Chime of the bell; the gallows await_

_At dawn; marches past the executioner's gate._

_Cold; dark; her eyes' bright gaze_

_Fear not; the innocent will be saved._

_  
Chime of the bell; the gallows await_

_At dawn; comes her impending fate._

_The people gather; they speak not a word_

_The silence is broken; the sentence is heard._

_Chime of the bell; the gallows await_

_At dawn; he sits helpless; their influence is great._

_The trapdoor is sprung; and she falls down below._

_And far in the distance there comes the cry of a crow._

Penelo closed the leatherbound book with trembling hands. Someone had left it inside her cell when she was asleep with a specific page bookmarked for her reading pleasure. She had seen a glimpse of her mysterious visitor, but there was only a disappearing flourish of tattered rags and nothing more. She stared at the poem written boldly on the rotting page.

_Fear not; the innocent will be saved._

That particular line was marked with a large blot of ink, and outlined several times with thick pen marks. There was also something sticking out of the adjacent page. Pulling it out, Penelo realized that it was a piece of crumpled parchment. Peering closely at it, she saw that there were nearly transparent words scrawled on it in some kind of liquid. Knowing very well the art of passing secret messages having done it many times with Vaan, she reached for the candle that illuminated the cell. Holding the paper above the flame, she saw words emerge in stark, bold lettering.

_At the black dawn we will come for you._

Penelo was confused, but then she saw the first light hit the horizon outside the dirty cell window. Seconds after, she heard the metallic clunking of the Imperials coming down the staircase. Her heartbeat increased, and beads of perspiration rolled down her pale forehead. The helmeted guards approached her cell, and one of them produced a brass key, inserting it into the lock. There was a loud click as they drew the door open and entered the cell. Penelo squeezed herself into a corner, tears starting to brim. One of the guards chortled merrily.

"Yer time's up, 'lil missy."

The guard snorted, laughing. Penelo bit her lip as she glared at him in utter abhorrence, feeling the bitter tears stream down her cheeks. But she knew she had to be brave. She was _not_ a damsel in distress. She stood up, about to fight back when one of the guards let out a scream and a gurgle, before he fell to the ground dead. The remaining two guards spun around in alarm, drawing their weapons.

Penelo stood, shocked as a cloaked figure emerged from the shadows and proceeded to impale the both guards expertly with his two swords. A few more cloaked figures emerged from behind him. However, Penelo could not see their faces. The first one strode briskly into her cell and grabbed her left wrist. A hooded nod indicated that it was time to leave. Penelo knew that she could not always trust strangers. But she also knew that now, she had no choice. She either had to follow them or face her wrongful execution.

Penelo and the figures disappeared into the shadows.

It was midnight at the Golden Hawk Inn. The inn was located in a secluded area near the palace, surrounded by tall buildings and was convieniently hidden from any passing airships. The inn offered comfortable rooms for practical prices, and it was an ideal place to hide. The innkeeper was preparing to blow out his candle for the night when the door creaked open. Turning abruptly, the innkeeper saw five hooded figures slip into the inn. One of them placed a bag of gold on the table, and the innkeeper promptly handed them an old bronze key.

Entering the room, the last figure immediately closed and latched the door. Penelo drew off the hood of the cloak they had given her and looked around nervously, wondering why she had chosen to follow them. Then memories of her planned execution returned in a flash, slicing through the confusion. She was lucky to have been saved. What did these figures want with her? She watched as one of her rescuers withdrew a gun from his cloak and placed it on the table. She recognized the weapon.

_It was Balthier's gun._

"W-What are you doing with Balthier's gun? D-Did you steal it?"

Penelo stammered uneasily, backing away from the strangers. But there was something familiar about them now. The rescuer she had addressed turned, and she could feel the eyes from inside the hood staring at her. Then there came a sharp, haughty chortle.

"I must've really mastered the art of thievery if I'm able to steal my own property."

With that, the figure drew back the hood to reveal the grinning face of the familiar sky pirate. At the same moment, the other figures drew back their hoods. They were Fran and Vaan. Penelo nearly collapsed in relief. But there was still the last figure...he still had his hood on, and he was busy placing his swords on the table. There was an air of silence around him.

"Who is he?"

Penelo asked curiously, motioning to the last figure with her hand. Balthier smiled down at her, before giving her a suave wink. Placing an assuring hand on her shoulder, the sky pirate nodded towards the unidentified rescuer, whilst Fran and Vaan flashed her knowing smiles. Balthier turned to look once again at Penelo before answering.

"I love surprises, Penelo. Don't you?"

At that exact moment, the remaining rescuer pulled down his hood. Penelo gasped in surprise and resisted the urge to simultaneously break into tears. It was Larsa. He stood there looking solemn, yet his eyes were filled with a certain joy that exceeded that of Penelo's. It seemed that he had resorted to unofficial measures to save her, leaving his royal life in the dark.

"Larsa, it's you! Why did you, how did you--"

Penelo was cut off by a smile from the young Emperor. Looking at the grazes on her knees and elbows, he frowned and withdrew a hi-potion from the reaches of his cloak. "Here," Larsa murmured before passing the crystal vial to Penelo, who immediately took it. She felt much better after that, considering the mixture's strong healing abilities. She looked around at Balthier, Fran and Vaan, happy but still very much wanting an explanation. Vaan took the liberty to open his mouth, as Balthier sighed and Fran just smiled.

"Well, Larsa wanted to rescue you, so he called us. We were in the city then, so of course we had to do something. Larsa sneaked out of the palace just to be with us now. He was also the one who left the book in your cell, and the one who so violently murdered his own guards, unfortunately...he couldn't get the Senate to agree to release you. And the Senate has full control over Archadia's military."

Vaan paused for a moment to drink a sip of water, before continuing the story.

"You do know that Larsa's wedding with that murderess is tomorrow. This might be our final chance to do something. That's why we're planning a rebellion. We all know that most of the people of Archades aren't happy with the Senate being reinstated. Yet they can't do anything about it. But with a little support from the Emperor...well, that's a different story altogether. Although Larsa disapproves of war, the Senate leaves him no choice. They are too powerful. Therefore, we must keep a low profile. The Imperials would be looking for you, and Larsa as well, if he doesn't return soon."

Vaan finished speaking and looked at Larsa. The Emperor rose from his seat and faced the open window. He seemed to be deep in thought.

"So, it's Lamont for the moment. Not Larsa."

Larsa said absentmindedly. The rest nodded in unison.

"Come now, even though it's already dawn, we still need sleep. We'll speak of the rebellion later."

**More A/N: **All right, the story might be extended by a few chapters, but I'm still considering. I'll inform you the next time I update if I decide to change certain aspects of the layout. Thanks again, and look out for Chapter Ten!


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